Marvel's X-Force Returns With (Mostly) Classic Lineup

Time to dust off those pouches.

By Jesse Schedeen

Marvel Comics announced a new ongoing X-Force series today. And while the team lineup will appeal to fans of the classic '90s X-Force, there is one big change this time around. The younger version of Cable introduced in the current Extermination miniseries will play a lead role in the book.

As revealed by Marvel.com, the new series will be written by Extermination writer Ed Brisson and drawn by Cosmic Ghost Rider artist Dylan Burnett. Check out Pepe Larraz's cover to issue #1, which showcases the new team lineup.

Art by Pepe Larraz. (Marvel Comics)

As the cover shows, most team member are veterans of the classic X-Force series, including Domino, Warpath, Cannonball, Shatterstar and Boom-Boom. The new team also includes Deathlok, who previously served on Wolverine's Uncanny X-Force squad.

However, the big surprise is Young Cable, who recently made a name for himself by murdering the original Cable. You'd think X-Force would be reluctant to include the guy who killed their erstwhile leader, even if he happens to be a time-displaced version of that leader. Brisson told Marvel.com, ""Right now we have a couple of different things going on with X-Force. Coming out of EXTERMINATION, Domino, Shatterstar, Cannonball, and Warpath are reeling from the loss of their mentor and have unanswered questions. They're on the hunt for this new Kid Cable to get those answers—some want his head, some just want to talk to him to find out what the hell is going on. Is this really their Cable? Is this an impostor?"

Brisson also professed his love for the original volume of X-Force. "When X-Force first launched back in the '90s, I was there, at the comic shop first thing on release day," he said. "I'd been reading NEW MUTANTS up until at that point and was a massive fan. X-FORCE was mind-blowing to 16 year-old me. There was something about seeing the New Mutants, students at the time, 'graduating' into their own team. It's something that doesn't happen often with X-kids."

Look for X-Force #1 to hit stores on December 26. It's not the only high-profile X-book hitting the stands in late 2018. Marvel also recently revealed that Uncanny X-Men will be returning as a weekly series chronicling a major conflict called "X-Men Disassembled."